Celebrate December

[Pornhubby]

Dear Family, Friends, Disability Lawyers, Euskaldunak (“speakers of Euskara,”), Oberlin & Berkelry grads, Steegles Fans, & All Veterans

Today is INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES FN1,  and NATIONAL ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD DAY FN2, and BASQUE LANGUAGE DAY FN3, and Cuz Dom says it’s NATIONAL PEPPERMINT LATTE DAY FN4 or GIORNATA NATIONALE della LATTE alla MENTA PIPERITA FN5. And, my cousin Rose from Brooklyn says today’s flower is LAVENDER 라벤더 – symbolizing expectations and hope.   

*1775: 1st US Flag Vessel: USS Alfred became the 1st vessel to fly the Grand Union Flag (precursor to our Stars and Stripes); hoisted by John Paul Jones;

*1883: 1st Co-Ed College: Oberlin College in Ohio, the 1st truly Co-ed College/school of higher learning in US opened its classes and began holding classes;

*1898: 1st All-Star Football Game: Duquesne Country & Athletic Club defeated an all-star collection of early football players 16-0, in what is considered THE VERY 1sts All-Star Game for professional American football;

*1915: 1st Laurel & Hardy: "Putting Pants on Philip," the 1st Laurel and Hardy film, was released by Hal Roach Studios;

*1944: Card-Pitts: the team created by temporary merger of the 2 NFL teams (Pittsburgh Steelers & Chicago Cardinals) in 1944 season dissolved (this was after the dissolution of “the Steegles” – the merger of the Steelers & Philadelphia Eagles in 1943); 

*1944: Hungarian Death March: this Death March of Jews ended – by the end of the Holocaust, 565,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered;

*1964: FSM: police arrested 800 students at University of California at Berkeley, one day after the students stormed the administration building and staged a massive sit-in – and the Free Speech Movement (FSM) began;

*1974: EPA: the Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors under its first Director, William D. Ruckelshaus;

*2012: Hamas Executions: Fadel Shalouf (24) & 6 others, convicted of being “Israeli collaborators” were cuffed behind their backs and executed by Hamas militants who informed the families of those murdered that Fadel et al died "martyrs from Israeli bombings."

 
FN1: IDPwD: International Day of Persons with Disabilities is promoted by the UN since 1992. It has been celebrated with varying degrees of success around the planet. Typically, the IDPD is mounted by volunteers. Originally called International Day of Disabled Persons, the 2023 IDPwD theme is 'United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities. ' The 2023 theme asks everyone to work together to make the world better and fairer for people with disability.
 
FN2: LIFE’S BARE NECESSITIES: The NATIONAL ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD DAY: was created as a day to be thankful for what you have, starting with the roof over your head. There are many things we have that we take for granted and do not stop to appreciate how fortunate we are for having them. All across our nation, there are many Americans who do not have the things necessary for everyday life. They may lack a roof over their heads, enough food to eat, clothes to wear. For those who have those bare necessities, it may be insufficient.
 
FN3: EUSKARA: Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced [eus̺kaɾa]) is the ancestral language of the Basque People, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in NE Spain and SW France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.
 
FN4: MOCHA WITH PEPPERMINT? Is peppermint mocha a latte? Cuz Dom says a mocha is essentially a chocolate latte. So, a peppermint mocha has all of the components of a latte (espresso and milk) plus chocolate and peppermint flavors. 
 
FN5: PEPPERMINT IN COFFEE? While many think the much-loved candy cane flavor is for the holidays, Cuz Dom & Arlene believe it’s a wonderful, complimentary combo any time of the year! They have 3 favorite ways to enjoy mint with your coffee: (1) use fresh grown mint, (2) peppermint extract, or (3) put in a shot of peppermint schnapps.

[MintJulie]

FN5: PEPPERMINT IN COFFEE? While many think the much-loved candy cane flavor is for the holidays, Cuz Dom & Arlene believe it’s a wonderful, complimentary combo any time of the year!

I agree.  Along with a hint of chocolate and peppermint schnapps. Enjoying that first sip, along with the after taste, one can't think how anything in the world could be better.

I think I will be enjoying some in about, say, 5 minutes.

Woo 1009 for the December update.

[Pornhubby]

Today is THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION FN1, and BATTLE (1914) DAY IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS, FN2, and Cuz Dom says it’s NATIONAL CHOCOLATE BROWNIE DAY or GIORNATA NAZIONALE del BROWNIE al CIOCCOLATO. FN5.

*1763: Oldest Shul: Touro Synagogue was dedicated in Newport, R.I.; named after Isaac Touro, its first rabbi, it’s the oldest American synagogue still standing in its original structure;

*1776: GW Crossed Delaware: Gen. George Washington retreated his Continental Army across Delaware River from NJ to PA;

*1787: The 1st State: Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution;

*1863: Abe’s Plan: President Lincoln issued his “Amnesty Proclamation & Plan for Reconstruction of the South” 

*1915: Poppies Grew: Canadian medical officer Lt.Col. John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields" appeared anonymously in "Punch" magazine;

*1941: FDR Declaration: President FDR declared Dec 7th "a day which will live in infamy", after which the U.S. declared war against Japan;

*1941: Maga Haga: the ivory image of "Maga Haga" (Great Lady; a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a carved molave wood and ivory image venerated by the Roman Catholics in Guam as their Patroness) “miraculously” escaped the Japanese bombing of Guam on 8 Dec 1941, coincidently the Feast of the Immaculate Conception;

*1987: 1st Intifada: an Israeli army tank transporter killed 4 Palestinian refugees & injured 7 others in a vehicle accident at Erez Crossing (Heb: מעבר ארז), aka the Beit Hanoun Crossing (Arabic: معبر بيت حانون) on the Israel–Gaza Strip border, which has been cited as  one of the events which sparked the First Intifada (“uprising” or “shaking off”) in 1987-90);

*2019: 1st COVID-19: 1st confirmed case of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) was identified in Wuhan, China’ 
         
 
FN1: “FESTA DELL’IMMACOLATA CONCEZIONE: December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (a public holiday in several countries, a holy day of obligation in others), aka The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, aka Immaculate Conception Day. Today celebrates the sinless lifespan and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 8 Dec, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, celebrated on 8 September. Today has related observances: Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Anglican Communion), lesser commemoration; Festa da Conceição da Praia, celebrating Yemanjá, Queen of the Ocean in Umbanda (Salvador, Bahia); Festival of Lights (Lyon); and Mother's Day (Panama); Lady of Camarin Day (Guam).
 
FN2: 1914 BATTLE… NOT 1982 OR 1770: the BATTLE DAY in FALKLAND ISLANDS is NOT for the Falkland War of 1982 or The Falkland Crisis of 1770; rather The Battle of the Falkland Islands was a naval action between the British Royal Navy & the Imperial German Navy or the Kaiserliche Marine on 8 Dec 1914, in WWI in the South Atlantic. After Great Britain was defeated at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November, off the coast of Chile near the port city of Coronel, the British sent a large force to track down and destroy the victorious German cruiser squadron. The 1914 Battle of the Falkland Islands is commemorated every year on 8 Dec in the Falkland Islands as public holiday.
 
FN3: NEW STRAIN “ERIS”:  this past 2023 Summer the newest COVID strain is called EG.5, or, informally, Eris (nickname of Greek goddess of strife and discord); descendant of Omicron, Eris is already the dominant coronavirus subvariant in US, infecting more people than any other single strain.